


The Story of Jean who is 19

by Twsted



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Homeless, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Erwin is an old man, Erwin is kinda OC, Fluff, M/M, SO MUCH FLUFF, it's basically all fluff, jeanmarco, levi is a cat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-28
Updated: 2015-09-28
Packaged: 2018-04-23 21:33:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4893094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twsted/pseuds/Twsted
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On his way to the city Marco sees a strange man and his curiosity is peaked. </p><p>Or that one fic where Jean is homeless and Marco saves him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Story of Jean who is 19

**Hi. My name is Jean. I am 19 years old.**

That is what his sign said. Or, what I could read off of his sign in the three second glance that I gave him. He was sitting against the building wall, in the shade, with his legs out in front of him. My quick glance let me see him rather well, and I realized immediately that he was homeless. He had a buzz cut but I thought that he might have had brown hair once. Ripped, shaggy jeans were on his legs and he had scuffed and worn sneakers on. A regular gray t-shirt was covering his torso, and he had a black backpack next to him. A snapback hat was upside down in front of him, I assumed so passersby could drop money. He was holding his sign made of sharpie and cardboard, and it had a whole paragraph written on it. I had walked about ten feet away from him, and I did not stop in front of him. I kept my head looking straight, and glanced at him from the corner of my eye. I figured that since my sunglasses kept people from seeing my eyes, that if I just kept walking, and didn’t look directly at him, then he would never know that I spared him a thought. Besides, I did not think he would appreciate me staring and I only had three pennies in my pocket. I did not think he would appreciate those either. After all, in this day and age, what could one get for three pennies? I did not want to feel obliged to help him anyway, I didn’t want to feel guilty. So I kept my curiosity at bay, and walked straight ahead of him. I did not miss the way his tired eyes followed me. I kept my head straight. I had a broadway show in about twenty minutes, one that I had been looking forward to for the longest time. About three months to be exact. Crossing the street, I tried not to feel guilty that I was going to a show, a Broadway show nonetheless, and Jean who was 19 was sitting in the shade of Times Square, with a worn out hat in front of him. I shook my head. Finding Neverland, Marco. You’re going to see Finding Neverland! Be excited! I finally forgot about Jean who was 19 when I sat down in my front row seat in the auditorium. It was beautiful, with golden walls and elaborate chandeliers hanging every five feet. As the lights dimmed and the music started, I was lost in the world of Peter Pan. And for the next three hours, I forgot all about Jean who was 19 and homeless.

* * *

 

He once again haunted my thoughts almost immediately after I stepped outside the theatre. I was still giddy and feeling like a child after that wonderful show, which had just risen to be my favorite show I’ve ever seen on Broadway, even better then Wicked. I was a little annoyed at him, for taking up my thoughts and making me feel guilty again. I ate dinner in a small restaurant by the theatre in the city, and it was drizzling and nighttime when I made my way through Times Square again. When I passed by where Jean had sat earlier that day, he was gone. I couldn’t figure out if I was upset or relieved at that fact. All I knew as I walked to the parking garage to collect my car, was that I hoped Jean had found someplace dry to stay the night. The drive from New York City to Vernon, New Jersey, was a little over an hour. It would be one of my most well kept secrets that Jean haunted my thoughts the entire drive over.

* * *

 

The next day when I arrived at work it was pouring rain. I watched the people walking on the streets with hoods up and umbrellas open. The rain was always good for business, people get driven into any warm place they can find. I worked in a quaint bookstore owned by an old man named Erwin. There were book shelves everywhere, and a small part of me always compared the bookstore to the library in the Beast’s castle in Beauty and the Beast. Books covered every wall, except for the wall that was facing the street. Huge windows made up a display case that held more books, like the most popular ones, Divergent, The Hunger Games, and my personal favorite, Harry Potter. There were bookshelves standing in the middle of the store as well, making rows for people to walk down. The entire store had hardwood floors, save for the little space in the middle, about eight by ten feet was covered in green carpet. This area had plush chairs and small tables and lamps for lounging and reading. It was my favorite place in the store. I watched from behind the desk as people mulled all over the moderate sized store. Jean was plaguing my thoughts again, and I fumbled with the customer's’ books several times. By the time it was seven o’clock and we were closing down the store, the rain died down a bit. Instead of a torrential downpour, it was now drizzling. Erwin’s cat, a beautiful black male with yellow eyes, climbed down one of the bookshelves and landed neatly on the desk. He walked over to me standing behind the register and purred. I brought my hand up and stroked his back. It was only Erwin and I that worked at the store, despite the always present HELP WANTED sign that hung in the window. The interviews to land a job here are weird and not like other job interviews. When I first walked in a year ago, fresh out of high school and never seeing a day over 19, resume in hand, Erwin took one look at it and promptly shredded it, right there in front of me. Then he brought me over to the middle of the store, sat me down in one of the faded armchairs, and told me all about how he bought the store when he was thirty. I will never forget the conversation that followed after.

“So, Marco, you want to work at my store?” He had asked.

“Yes sir.” I had replied.

“Why?”   
That question had confused me. Why did anyone work? I had been in need of money to rent a place for myself. But I had supposed that I could’ve picked the pizza place three blocks down. I could’ve gone to college, become a doctor, or a lawyer.   
“Well sir, I never want to go to college, and books are something I’m passionate about.”  
“Why don’t you want to go to college?”

That was when I had taken a good long look around the store. I looked at the fading carpet, the dark wood bookshelves, the ladders fixed to the walls to reach high up books. And I had felt myself falling in love with this bookstore.   
“I want to sell books.”

Erwin had smiled. He was an old man, with wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. He had a white moustache and his nose was large and crooked. He had kind blue eyes, and smile lines too.

Just then his cat, the one I would learn to love, walked over and promptly hissed at me.   
“Hello Levi. What do you think of Marco?”   
Levi had sat down on the armchair facing me, and blinked at me three times with his large yellow eyes. I had felt like he was seeing right through me. FInally he got up, walked into Erwin’s lap, and started purring.

“Well that answers that then.” Erwin had said, like Levi purring was the answer to a confusing riddle he had been trying to solve.

“Just one more question for you, Marco, and then we’ll wrap this up.”   
I had squirmed in my seat.

“Okay?”  
“What is your greatest weakness?”

I had blanched. My greatest weakness? What did that have to do with the bookstore?

Erwin had been watching me, waiting patiently for my answer.

“Virtue sir.”

Erwin had raised an eyebrow at me.

“I don’t think Virtue is a weakness.”

“I didn’t think so either until I was 17 and got into an accident trying to drive my enemy home from a party when he was drunk.”

Erwin had ‘ahh’d and then gotten up. He walked me to the door and said, “Don’t call us, we’ll call you.”

Driving home I had been confused, since he was the only one working there, and he hadn’t asked for my address or phone number. The next day Levi was sitting in front of the front door of my apartment, his lamp like eyes trained on me the moment I stepped out.

“You look like you in deep thought.” Erwin’s voice rang through the store, bringing me back to the present.

I smiled and ran a hand over my face.

Erwin walked over so he was in front of the desk.

“You’ve been kind of out of it today, Marco. Something happen to you on the big bad streets of New York?” He teased.

“Oh, um. No. No. I’m just tired. Didn’t get back until it was very late.” The words sounded stupid even to me.

“Now I am offended Marco. I have been working with you for a year and you can’t even tell me why you attempted to sell a grown man a Dora book?”   
I cringed.

“On the way to my show, I saw a homeless person.”

“Is that so?”   
I nodded.   
“Okay son, hate to break it to ya but there are homeless people out there.”  
“No, no it wasn’t like that. He was young. He was nineteen. And his name was Jean.”

Erwin’s eyebrow raised even higher.

“You talk to this boy?”   
“No. I read it on his sign. You know how homeless people have those cardboard signs? He had written a paragraph but I could only read the first line.”

Erwin’s face turned into a smug one.

“Boy you haven’t even talked to him and you’re already whipped.”

“Whipped? Erwin he didn’t have a whip. He had a backpack and a hat though.”

Erwin shook his head.   
“It’s a saying Marco.”   
“Oh. For what?”   
“Maybe I’ll tell you when you bring this boy to me.”

“What?!”  
“Bring him to me. Maybe we can have him work at the store.”   
“Erwin. That’s crazy! I can’t just walk up to him and bring him here!”   
“Why the hell not!?!”

“B-because. Um…”

Erwin chuckled.

“Bring this Jean who is nineteen to Vernon, New Jersey. I want to meet him. Now you get out now, you’ve got the day off tomorrow. If you come back on Wednesday without him, I’ll sik Levi on ya.”

And then he pushed me out of his store.

* * *

 

Jean was back in his spot in the shade of Times Square when I got there the next day. I was mentally cursing Erwin for making me do this, but Levi angry made me very nervous, since he had once shredded twenty books and an armchair when I denied him a treat. I never wanted to figure out what those claws could do to me. I sat down on a ledge directly across from him, and was finally able to read the rest of his sign.

**Hi. My name is Jean. I am 19 years old.**

**I was kicked out of the house for not going to college. please spare any change you can for my meals. Thank you.**

Damn you Jean. One part of me thought, but another part thought this. He’s just like you, not going to college. He was wearing the same clothes since I’ve last seen him. I thought of him huddled underneath an awning when it was pouring rain yesterday, shivering with cold, arms hugging himself, soaked to the bone. Okay that’s it. No one deserves that. And then I was getting up and walking towards him. I stopped directly in front of him and took my sunglasses off. He looked up at me surprised.

“Um, hi. My name is Marco.” I said.

His brows furrowed a bit in confusion. I noticed that he had amber eyes that glowed brightly, despite how tired and gaunt his face looked. When it became clear he wasn’t about to say anything, I continued.

“Would you like to accompany me to dinner?”

At that his mouth formed an ‘O’. Then he seemed to recover himself and nodded.

“Great.” I said, and offered my hand to help him up. He picked up his backpack and hat and eyed me a little skeptically.

“I don’t have any money.” He said.

Standing up, he was a little bit shorter than me. I was 5’10, a normal height that I was content with. He was maybe an inch shorter, maybe less.

“I know.” I idly replied. Then I started walking away. About ten steps away I realized that Jean was still standing there, staring at me with furrowed brows and an open mouth, head tilted to the side a bit.   
“Are you coming?”  I smiled at him. He shook his head a little and followed me, walking so that we were side by side. I brought him to a little diner just outside of Times Square. It wasn’t very crowded in there, so I thought it would be the perfect place. The hostess sat us down with a shrewd glance at Jean and then walked away, her high heels making ‘click’ noises on the floor.

I sat down in the worn booth  and Jean sunk down across from me. He put his backpack down next to him and put his hands in his lap, looking terribly awkward. I pretended to study the menu, and he studied me.

“Do I have something on my face?” I asked him innocently.

“What? Oh. Uh no. I was just, never mind.” He responded.

We locked gazes.

“You were?” I prompted.

He sighed.

“Trying to figure out what made you come back.”   
His blunt answer was not what I expected at all and I gaped at him.

He raised an eyebrow at me and I realize he was waiting for me to answer him.

“You, uh. Recognized me?” I asked.

“You walked past me the other day. I forget when exactly. You had those same sunglasses.” He pointed to my glasses hanging off my shirt collar.

“Oh yeah. Sorry I guess I was just surprised you saw me.”

His eyebrow went even higher, if that was possible.

“You literally walked like five feet away from me.” Jean narrowed his eyes at me. “Why did you come back? I don’t have anything to give you.” He added defensively.

“I don’t want anything from you.”   
“Then why do this for me?” He countered.  

Jean was clearly not a very trusting person. But then again, I was this random stranger that offered to buy him dinner.

I opened my mouth and realized I had no idea what to say. How do I even describe Erwin and Levi and the store?

Just then a waiter walked up to our table. She was very short.   
“Do we want anything today?”   
“We’ll both have a burger please.” I responded, praying that Jean liked burgers. She nodded, wrote it down, grabbed our menus, and bounced away.

“Sorry I should’ve asked you, I don’t even know if you like burgers but I do so I just thought that I would order them.” I blabbed.

“I like burgers.” He answered.

We lapsed into a silence that was very awkward, considering I couldn’t even hide behind my menu anymore.

“You were about to tell me something.” Jean spoke.

“Yea. I guess I just don’t know how to put it in words, you know?”   
This was clearly the wrong thing to say, because all of the sudden Jean looked at me like I was going to attack him.

“No! No not like that. I mean, okay. When I saw you sitting in Times Square I felt curious about you. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I went home and told my manager at the bookstore I work about you, and he told me to bring you in or he’ll sik Levi on me! And Levi once shredded like forty books so here I am.” I said in one breath.

Jean blinked.

“You told your manager about me?”

“Um. Yeah?”   
Jean slowly nodded.

“Okay. I have one more question.”   
“Okay?” I said, bracing for the worst.

“What the hell is a Levi?”

* * *

 

After we finished eating, I brought Jean back to Times Square, intending to bring him shopping. He seemed to have other plans, though, and once we passed his spot he stopped and faced me.

“Thanks for the food.” He mumbled.

“What? Where are you going?”

He looked surprised.

“Come on, I’m taking you shopping for clothes. You don’t think I was only planning to feed you, did you?”  

“Uh, actually I did.”   
It was then that I remembered that I didn’t tell Jean my plans to take him to Erwin to work for the bookstore.

“Oh. Well, actually I was wondering if you wanted to come with me.”   
“Where?”

“Uh. Vernon, New Jersey?”

“Why?”  
“Uh, I live there?”  
Jean’s face went through about fifteen different shades of surprised.

“You...want me to go home...with you?”

“Well when you put it that way it sounds creepy. But yes. I want you to come home with me and to work with me in the bookstore.”

“What’s your bookstore even called?”   
Relieved that he seemed to be taking this in stride, I eagerly answered.

“It’s called Beast’s Books, because it’s modeled after the library in Beast’s castle in Beauty and the Beast. And it’s not mine, it’s owned by a man named Erwin.”

“I used to love that movie.” Jean mumbled.

“Really? It’s my favorite Disney movie ever! I used to watch it over and over and then I would dream of a handsome prince coming to my house which I used to believe was a castle  and we’d live..” I stopped. _Oh no._   
Jean looked confused.

_Please don’t._

“You would dream of a prince?”

_Oh god._

“Um. Well, yeah? I’m sorry I didn’t mean to say it.”   
“You’re gay?”

“Yes?”   
Jean’s face softened a little.   
“You don’t have to be so nervous telling me. I don’t care.”

I let out a sigh of relief.

“Oh.Thanks.”

Jean shrugged.   
“You bought me dinner, are bringing me shopping, and offer me a way to get out of this dump. What kind of idiot would hate you after that?”

“Oh. I, um. I don’t know.”

“Exactly.” Jean said, and then actually smiled.

I was momentarily blinded by his smile. It totally transformed his face from a tired, haunted look into a very attractive face. It made his eyes stand out even more. I began to wonder what he looked like with hair.

“Okay. Well let’s go then.” I said.

* * *

 

When we left the Hollister store, Jean had brand new jeans, shoes, and shirts. He picked at the new shirt adorning his torso. I personally loved it, it clung to his skin and showed off his lean but muscular body.

“I look like an asshole now.” He grumbled.

“You look great! Now come on Vernon is an hour and fifteen minutes away!” I said.

Jean stopped walking.  

“Hey, what’s the matter?” I asked.

“Uh. Look, you seem like a really nice guy, but how do I know you don’t plan on like, kidnapping me or killing me or something?” Jean asked. “Besides, New York is my home.”

I panicked. I couldn’t go back to the bookstore without Jean. This wasn’t even about Erwin anymore. I had talked to him, I needed to know more.

“I could give you a home!” I said.

“New York is my home.”

“Just give me a week.” I pleaded. “A week in Vernon, New Jersey with me. That’s all. And if you still don’t want to stay, I’ll bring you back.”

Jean eyed me.

“A lot can happen in a week.”

“I know, you could change your mind. Please?”

Jean looked at me. He seemed to be fighting with himself. Then he saw the water left from the storm dripping off a banister.

“One week. That’s it.”

I exhaled thankfully.   
“Well, then let’s go!”

* * *

 

The ride home was mostly silent. I looked at Jean as he looked out the window. I found out that he likes music, especially Fall Out Boy and My chemical Romance. When we got into Vernon, I saw his lips part in wonder. I smiled to myself, knowing that he loved the scenery just as much as I do. I prayed that he would want to stay. But as we pulled into the parking lot of my apartment complex, he

once again looked tired and gaunt.

I parked the car and sat, looking at him for a second. Jean’s eyes were closed.

“We’re here.” I softly said.

Jean slowly opened one eye, then the other.

“That was a long ride.” He commented.

I smiled sheepishly.

“Sorry. I think it’s worth it though, don’t you think?”   
He looked at me sharply.

“The view. I meant the view!” I stuttered, wondering what Jean clearly thought I meant.

“Oh.” Jean’s face softened. “Yeah. It’s really beautiful.”   
I beamed.   
“Well, let’s go inside.”   
I opened my door and grabbed my keys. When I walked over to Jean’s side, I saw that he was still in the car. I opened his door for him and bowed, not unlike a chauffeur would.

“You are awaited inside, Sir.” I said in a terrible English accent.

Jean gave me a long look and then burst out laughing as he climbed out of the car.

I straightened up, oddly proud that I made him laugh.

We walked in silence as we made it up front steps and through the front door.

“What floor is your apartment on anyway?” Jean asked.

“The top one.” I answered.

We climbed the stairs in silence, the only noises being our labored breathing and the echo of our footsteps.  When we reached my door, I suddenly felt self-conscious. Before going to get Jean, I had spent about three hours cleaning my house.   
“So, uh. I hope you like it.” I said as I opened the door. I stepped inside and took off my shoes, putting them in the shoe cubby. When I turned back around, Jean was standing outside the entrance, looking inside curiously.

“Well I didn’t drive you all this way so you could stand outside.” I joked.

Jean flashed me a look I couldn’t decipher and walked tentatively inside, like he was expecting someone to jump out at him. I gestured to his backpack.

“Do you want to hang it up?” I asked.

He shook his head.

“Okay. So this is my home.” I said, showing it off.   
Once you step outside the tiny foyer, it branches off into a kitchen, a living room, and if you continue to walk down the hallway you go to my bedroom. It was a tiny one-person apartment. My kitchen was a nice tan color and had brown wood cabinets with a granite counter and a tiny round table. The living room was nicer; it was green and had a dark chocolate brown sofa and chairs. I had a forty inch screen television hanging on the wall.   
Jean looked at all of this intently and then he turned his gaze on me with such intensity I thought he was going to make me drive him back to New York.

“Do you like it?” I asked shyly.

His amber eyes seemed to glow with… is that happiness? I thought.

“I do. I like it a lot.” He answered, and then he slowly walked back to the foyer and hung up his backpack.

* * *

 

We spent the rest of the night playing Mario Kart and various board games. When nighttime came, and it was time to go to sleep, we had a some awkwardness.

"Uh, so, do you want to sleep here? Or..." I started. I was too afraid to add the end, in my room?

"Oh. Sure." He answered.

Maybe it was just me that felt awkward.

I set the pull out couch up for him and then hung around awkwardly as he got pajamas that I bought him out of his backpack.

"Are you going to stand around and watch me change?" He asked teasingly.

Heat flooded into my cheeks.

"No! I'll just, um, go then."

That night Jean haunted my dreams.

* * *

The next day I decided not to bring Jean to the bookstore. I only had a week to get him to stay, and I sure wasn't going to scare him off with Erwin. I woke up early, around seven, but there was a lossless in my limbs from not being jerked awake by an alarm. I walked into the kitchen and brewed two cups of coffee, hoping Jean liked the hot beverage.

When he stumbled into the kitchen an hour later, all baggy pajamas and half-shut eyes, I couldn't help but to laugh.

"Good morning sleeping beauty." I teased.

He made a grunting noise and slid into the chair opposite me at my tiny table. I gestured to the coffee cup and he took it and downed it all in one go.

"Somebody likes coffee." I said amused.

For the first time that morning Jean looked at me and I was pleased to see that even though his face still looked a little haunted, he no longer looked tired.

"You don't want to talk to me before I've had my coffee. God I forgot how good it is." He said with a relish.

That made me laugh but want to cry for him at the same time.

"Yeah." I murmured. "So where do you want to go for breakfast?"

He looked at me, amber eyes shining.

"I don't know." He admitted. "Yesterday at this time I was on the streets of Times Square. And now I'm in a house, drinking coffee and actually having a good night's sleep. It feels fake."

I grinned at him.

Surely he would want to stay. Right?

"Well there's an amazing waffle place in town. Wanna go?"

He nodded.

"Alright. Let's get dressed and go." I said.

* * *

 

By the time we were ready it was nine o'clock. We drove there in silence and with the windows cracked, Jean sticking his head out the window like a dog, his eyes shut.

I pulled up to the waffle cabin, home of the best sugar waffles ever, and parked.

Sensing the ride was over Jean opened his eyes and looked at me.

"Come on puppy, we're here." I said, smiling.

"Shut up." He huffed goodnaturedly and climbed out of the car.

* * *

 

The rest of the day we spent driving around Vernon, especially the back roads. I had a seven part plan to get Jean to stay, and this was part one.

Part one of the plan to get Jean to stay:

Show him the scenery and sights.

He seemed to enjoy himself well enough, looking out the window and hanging his hand outside of it. However it wasn't until we passed a car shop that Jean looked truly alive.

"You don't think we could look at motorcycles there, do you?" He asked, his eyes lighting up so he looked like a kid on Christmas.

I looked into those eyes and knew that I was doomed.

"Sure." I said and pulled into the shop.

As soon as we got out of the car a man in a crisp suit approached us, saying his name was Garrett and was there anything we needed?

Jean asked to see the motorcycles, and half an hour later Garrett was asking me if I wanted to test drive one.

I was about to refuse, saying that never would I ever set foot on one of those death traps, but then Jean caught my eye and I felt my will crumble to pieces.

"He can." I said.

Garrett showed Jean one, and Jean got on excitedly.

He clipped on his helmet halfway and turned to look at me, an easy grin on his lips and God that shouldn't look as hot as it does.

"Wanna come, Marco?"

I really really didn't want to, but I nodded and Garrett gave me a helmet and then we were zooming off, and my hands went flying around Jean's waist and my head burrowed into his shoulder and he was laughing. We went on backroads and Jean was laughing the whole time, a nice clear sound that came from pure joy, and we definitely were speeding the entire time, but it's the backroads in Vernon New Jersey and no one was ever here anyway. We went so fast I felt like I was flying, with the wind whipping my clothes and for the longest time all I could think of was Jean.

* * *

 

I don't know how long we were out, but the sun was setting by the time Jean eased us back into the shop. Garrett was by the door, patiently waiting for us with a stack of papers in hand.

He grinned when we walked into the store, all wind whipped clothes and smiles.

"How was that chaps?" He asked.

"Awesome." Jean answered.

"Have you driven a motorcycle before?"

"Yeah. I used to own one before..." Jean stopped abruptly.

"Before our apartment burned down. Which is why we moved here." I answered quickly, hoping that since I've never set foot in the shop he wouldn't know that I've lived in Vernon for a year already.

Garret nodded.

"And how long have you been together?" He asked.

I gaped at him and felt heat rush into my cheeks.

Jean coughed.

"We aren't together. We're friends." He explained.

My heart have a little leap of both joy and sadness. I was thrilled to be considered Jean's friend, but sad that I was limited to friend. I wanted to be something more to him.

"Oh, my bad. Sorry." Garrett said, although he didn't look sorry at all.

"Do you still want the bike?" He asked.

"We can't afford it right now." Jean said politely. "Sorry for wasting your time."

Garret nodded and walked away with a happy 'goodbye'.  He wasn't sad at all. If there was one thing that Garrett knew, it was how to pick out the car buying couples. He watched the two boys leave the store. They'll be back. He thought. And when they are, they'll buy that bike. He had never seen someone visibly melt so much when they look at the person they desire then Marco did when he looked at Jean.

* * *

 

We ate dinner at a small Mexican place not far from my house. Jean was still tingling with energy from the motorcycle ride, his hands restless and his fingers twitching.

"Did you really use to own a motorcycle?" I asked him.

He locked his happy gaze on me.

"Yeah. A beauty it was too. My parents sold it after I-" he stopped.

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me." Yet. I added in my mind.

He flashed me a grateful look.

"You really love driving it though, we drove for like, four hours straight!" I said, changing the topic.

His eyes lit up even more.

"Really?"

I nodded.

He grinned and shuffled a bit in his seat.  

"Why do you go so fast though?" I asked. "I've never wanted to go on a motorcycle, and never thought I would. But then I actually liked it."

He almost looked a little sheepish.

"I should've asked you before I went 100 miles an hour. Sorry."

My eyes bugged out of my head.

"We were on a motorcycle going 100 miles per hour!" I squeaked.

He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.

"Yeah."

"Why do you go so fast?!"

He looked at the table and mumbled something.

"What?" I asked.

He sighed and looked me. He looked almost...embarrassed?

"It makes me feel like I can fly." He mumbled.

And that was the moment that I fell in love with him.

* * *

 

The next day, day two of the Get Jean to stay plan, I brought him to Mountain Creek. It was late September, September 30th to be exact, but it was still pretty warm and I had a Springster pass still. We pulled into the parking lot and Jean gasped.

"Mountain Creek??"

"Yeah. I love coming here. I hike and bike the trails all the time, and every weekend you'll see me snowboarding here in the winter." I answered. Suddenly nervous, I asked, " If you don't like this place we can go somewhere else."

I looked at him, and he looked at me, and I noticed how much better he looked after two nights of full sleep and regular meals three times a day. And Jean ate a lot.

"Are you kidding?" He grinned. "I used to come here all the time as a kid."

I smiled back.

We walked in after paying and walked along the paths in the woods. It was still pretty early, not yet 11am, and the sun shone through the canopy of leaves on the trees. It made Jean's eyes shine so they looked like gold and as we walked I admired his profile a lot. We came across a bike trail, and although Jean didn't say anything, I saw the way he looked hungrily at the mountain bikers. I suggested we go back down for lunch, and he agreed. We had tacos from a stand and then I surprised Jean by asking if he wanted to rent some mountain bikes. He tried to decline, saying that I've spent too much on him, but I gave him a look and dragged him to pick one out. I was hoping he would be just as happy on a bike as he was on a motorcycle. I was right. We rode the lift up, carrying our bikes, and when we got to the top Jean clipped his helmet on, grinned, and literally jumped off the top.  He landed on his bike and ride down, laughing the entire time. I followed him, albeit a little slower. Jean was magnificent, riding the ramps up and doing all sorts of tricks that led me to believe that he had done this a lot. When we got to a half pipe, he let out a whoop of pure joy and plunged down, doing flips and twists and turns when he was airborne. I preferred to stay on the ground, and rode around the half pipe, and then I stopped on the top and watched him for a bit. At one point he rode up to where I was, on the flat part of the top of the bowl, and balanced his bike there, with the front wheel in the air and the back wheel on the very edge of the bowl. I screeched at him to be careful,and he responded by laughing and saying, "Aw. Are you worried about me Marco?"

And then he turned his bike around on a dime and plunged back into the pipe.

I watched him for half an hour more, more content then I've ever been, and when he was done riding his heart out we continued back down the mountain. By the time we returned our bikes it was 5 o'clock and we chose to eat dinner at Mountain Creek too. We ate from the same taco stand as before, because Jean swore they were the best tacos he's ever had and because I couldn't tell him no. We had the sugar waffles there too and it was 6 o'clock by the time we pulled out and drove home. Jean fell asleep on the drive home and he was so content looking and peaceful when he slept that I took a picture. I continued driving for longer then necessary, because I didn't want to wake him up and I was so happy in that moment that I elected to let him sleep. Also Twenty One Pilots was playing and the song lyrics fit the situation perfectly.

_"You fell asleep in my car I drove the whole time. But that's okay I'll just avoid the holes so you'll  sleep fine."_

* * *

 

Day three began later then expected, with both of us waking up no sooner then noon. I was just waking up myself when Jean zombie walked into the kitchen. "Good morning." I said.

The way Jean groaned "Cooffffeeeeeee," reminded me of a zombie.

I laughed and handed him a steaming mug.

He grunted his thanks and walked into the living room, flopping onto the makeshift bed. I followed him.

"So lazy day today?" I asked as I sat down on the edge of the couch bed.

His eyes were lidded half shut and he nodded, settling deeper on the couch bed. I laughed and in a moment of braveness I settled in right next to him.

We were watching The Maze Runner when Jean spoke out of nowhere.

"I didn't get kicked out of my house for not going to college."

"Oh?"

He took a deep breath in.

"I got kicked out for being gay."

My brain short circuited, and all I could think of was yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes.

I had a chance with him now.

"Oh." I said. "Thanks for telling me."

He didn't offer any other details of his life that day.

* * *

 

Day four I decided to take Jean to town and walk around. We weren't going to go to the bookstore yet though. I opened my door and jumped when I saw a familiar looking black cat with yellow eyes sitting in front of my front door. Jean was following me out and bumped into my back.

"What are you do-what's a cat doing here?"

"This is Levi." I said.

As if on cue Levi purred and wound in between Jean's legs.

Jean looked down at him and then moved to go pick him up. I made to shout, warn him that Levi doesn't let anyone pick him up, and anyone who tries gets a hiss and a face full of claws. But then Jean picked him up and cradled him in his arms and Levi fixed his lamp like eyes on me and purred.

Jean scratched his head in between his ears.

"You're such a pretty boy." He cooed.

I stared dumbfounded as Jean continued to pet and talk to Levi as he held him. After a minute or two, Levi wiggled out of Jean's hands, landed neatly on the floor, purred once at Jean and whisked away, climbing out of an open window.

"Wait- don't go." Jean said.

He turned to me.

"What?" He said defensively, addressing my dumbfounded expression.

"You-Levi-picked him up." I stuttered because Jean with animals was very very cute.

Jean eyed me a bit and then we were on our way down the stairs.

We walked around all day, with Jean admiring the town and the beautiful day- it was sunny but a chill was in the air, making it the perfect day to wear jeans and light jackets- and me admiring Jean.  Jean looked amazing today, with skinny jeans and brown boots and a matching brown jacket. He was wearing a beanie today as well, a grey one. He got some stares from passing girls and guys alike. He was looking better every day, with his face filling in and his dark bags under his eyes nowhere to be seen. His hair was even starting to grow in a bit as well, although he still had somewhat of a buzz cut, and I was right- it was brown. We had lunch at a Chinese place and then walked around more, finally stopping to eat outside at Starbucks.

I was sipping my pumpkin latte, because it was now October, and he was eating his mozzarella tomato panini as well as drinking a pumpkin latte.

"My parents wanted me to become a lawyer." Jean said as we sat outside. Sensing he just wanted to talk, I said nothing, but looked at him so he knew I was listening.

"They forced me to take all of these college classes during high school, and were always trying to set me up with girls to marry. During senior year I told them I was gay. And boy, that worked out great." He said sarcastically.

"I also told them that I didn't want the future they were giving me by getting speeding tickets, and then skipping classes."

He blew out a long breath.

"And then when I graduated high school and turned 18, they threw me out."

"I was on the streets for almost a full year before you found me." He continued.

I hoped that this was leading to him saying that he wanted to stay with me, but he just said a quiet,"Thank you," and continued eating.

* * *

 

Day five was spent driving around and going to various stores. Day six was raining, so I was going to stay inside all day again, but Jean shook his head and we ended up driving in the rain for an hour or two. That was one thing about Jean. He loved driving. It didn't matter where, or how long, but if you put him in a car and started moving his eyes got a childish glint in them and he couldn't stop smiling. And on the seventh day, the day that Jean would either choose to stay with me or go back to the city, I took him to the bookstore.  The bell rung as we stepped inside and Erwin walked up to us as Jean looked around.

"Well well well, look who decided to show up to work, a week late!" Erwin mocked, although there was no bite in his tone.

Jean flashed me an apologetic look.

"I was beginning to think you'd been jumped on the big bad streets of New York, until Levi went and checked on ya. And you!" He said, looking at Jean, who fidgeted a bit. "You look well enough, how was your week?"

"It was the best week of my life." Jean answered, and my heart did a little leap.

"Good. Now, come on boy, let me tell you about the store." He said, clapping a hand on Jean's shoulder and walking away. I went to follow, but Erwin rounded on me.

"Oh no! You're gonna work today!"

So I flashed an amused look at Jean and went to man the counter.

An hour later Jean and Erwin were sitting on the chairs, having what I assumed to be an interview. No one was in the store, so I pretended to shelve books so I could listen. They were almost done.

"Alright Jean. Now I need to ask you one more question." Erwin said.

Jean shifted in his seat.

"Alright." He said.

"What is your greatest weakness?"

Jean furrowed his eyebrows but said nothing. After a while he said, "Honesty."

Erwin raised an eyebrow.

"I don't think honesty is a weakness."

"I really don't give a shit on what you think." Jean said.

Erwin looked amused and 'ahh'd'

Levi came over, sat in Jean's lap, and purred as Jean started petting his head.

"I see. Don't call us, we'll call you."

And then he pushed us out of his store.

* * *

 

Jean looked at me and we both started laughing hysterically. I didn't know what he wanted to do but then he started walking so I fell into step beside him. We walked to my car and got in without a word. I started driving but I had a feeling that Jean didn't want to go home so I drove without thinking. I brought us to Mountain Creek and after a glance we got up and went in. We rode the lift up to the top and then stopped and looked at the view from the top of the mountain. I saw Jean open his mouth to say something and I suddenly panicked.

"Don't leave me! Please! I don't think I could bear to live without you and I know it's only been a week but I love you!" I blurted out. Jean looked at me and then started leaning in. I leaned in as well and then-oh. Jean was kissing me. His lips were surprisingly soft and the kiss was slow and chaste and perfect. We broke apart and he started peppering my lips, cheeks, eyelids, hair, and anything else he could reach in tiny kisses.

"I couldn't leave you if I tried." He murmured.

And when we kissed again, it was as perfect as the sun slanting through the trees itself.

* * *

 

Epilogue.

Four years later.

I woke up to the feel of calloused hands gently running through my hair. I opened one eye to find Jean, leaning on one of his elbows on our bed, looking at me as if I was the most precious thing in the world.

"Hello love." He said, and kissed me.

"What time is it?" I asked.

I couldn't help but feel like we were late, especially since the sunlight was coming through the window and I knew that today was a weekday.

"I don't know."

"Are we late?"

He smiled.

"Probably."

I smiled back at him and admired his face. In the four years that he'd lived with me, Jean had blossomed. His hair was now fully grown back, he dyed it as well, so now he had a brown undercut and the top of his head was blond. His face was muscular and defined and his eyes were alive with the fire that I fell in love with. I felt around for his hand and clasped it in mine, feeling the ring that I gave him only eight months ago, when we exchanged our wedding vows. We'd been married for only eight months but it's been the best time of my life.

Jean gave me a tiny kiss on the forehead and got off the bed.

He stretched and I admired the muscles in his back and the fact that he slept without a shirt on last night.

"We gotta open the store, Marco, come on." Jean said and I groaned and buried my face back in the pillows.

* * *

 

We opened the store only half an hour late, but there were people lined up to go inside already. Sasha, a middle aged women with two children, and her husband, Connie, were the first people in line.

"There you are, Mr. Kirstein and Mr. Kirstein. We were beginning to worry about you." Sasha teased.

Jean laughed and I beamed at the use of my new last name. I had decided to take up Jean's last name instead keeping my own, or mashing the two together, partly because I always wanted to take my husband's last name, and partly because of Jean's parents' reaction when their son came home to tell them that he married a man.

"We had a lazy morning today." Jean informed them as I unlocked the doors.

We all walked inside and Sasha's little twins, Maria and Hannah, bounced around the store. Other customers came inside as well. Erwin had retired two years ago, leaving both Levi and the store to me. Levi himself was getting old now, and spent more time with Erwin then in the actual store, but there were four little Levis running around now, named Inky, Blinky, Stinky, and Clyde, named after the pacman ghosts. They were all carbon copies of their father, save for Blinky, who had startling green eyes instead of yellow, the only thing he got from his mother. Said kitten purred and leaped into Jean's arms, who cooed with delight and buried his nose in Blinky's soft fur.

* * *

 

When the last customer left around seven, Jean and I closed up the store and left with two bundles of fur in our arms each. We deposited Inky, Blinky, Stinky, and Clyde in our apartment.

Three of the cats bolted for the couch, but Inky walked into the kitchen. Jean followed him in and scooped him up.

"You are my favorite thing." Jean said to him, and Inky meowed at him.

"Um excuse me, I believe that I am the one married to you, not the cat." I said loudly. Jean turned to me with a glint of amusement in his eyes.

"Are you jealous?"

"What! No." I said, crossed my arms and turned my back to Jean.

I heard him chuckle and then strong, lean arms wrapped around me and Jean put his chin on my shoulder. I relaxed and leaned into his embrace.

He kissed the side of my neck slowly and then kissed my shoulder. I turned around in his arms and put my own around his neck, and he wrapped his arms around my waist.

"I love you." I said and then kissed him on his lips.

"Mmm- I, love, you, too." He responded, kissing me in between each word.

We continued like that in the kitchen for a bit, but then Stinky walked into the kitchen and meowed until we fed him.

* * *

 

"You wanna take a ride with me?" Jean asked suddenly. We were cuddling on the couch, our legs intertwined and our hands linked.

"Where?" I asked.

"Mm, nowhere."

I laughed.

"Ever since we bought that bike I've been competing with it for your love."

"Well better show you who I love more." He grinned.

The kiss he gave me took my breath away and probably would've made my legs buckle had we been standing.

* * *

 

Jean was laughing, and I was grinning like an idiot as we sped down the back roads of Vernon. My head was in the crevice of his shoulder blades, my arms around his waist, and he was speeding terribly, but it didn't matter. The motorcycle was the same one that we had test drove four years ago, when Jean was still homeless and I was a lovesick puppy. I looked at the back of the man I loved, the one I called my husband, and tightened my grip on him just a little bit. With him in my arms, it felt like I was holding the entire world.

**Author's Note:**

> So this was my first JeanMarco fan fiction! Please leave me comments and kudos. Thank you for reading. <3


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